The Home-Journal

This week on The Home-Journal I share my top 10 gift ideas for Christmas. Most items are from Australian designers and are perfect for anyone who loves Australian made, local home design.

Here it is!

The Home-Journal

This week on The Home-Journal I share my top 10 cushions for the end of this year.

They are funky, fun and add so much to a space.

Here's the link.

The Home-Journal

This week on The Home-Journal I share my top 10 go-to shops for furniture and homewares in Sydney. I hope it helps! Read it here.

Alexandra Donohoe of Decus

Alexandra Donohoe is the principle of Sydney based interior design firm Decus. After studying a Bachelor of Interior Architecture at UNSW, Donohoe went on to work in several of Sydney's most notable design firms. Her own company Decus was born of an obsession with the profound effect interiors have on our daily lives. Underpinning much of Donohoe's work is a sense of eclecticism; her interiors celebrate bold contrasts, whimsy, luxury and exquisite detail. 

Here are some examples of Donohoe's beautiful work...

Tania Handelsmann

Tania Handelsmann is a Sydney based architect who's work in both residential and commercial spaces is refined, luxurious and comfortable. Since finishing as an Honours graduate of the UNSW Architecture program, Handelsmann has over 15 years experience in both New York and Sydney. 

This North Sydney home is both refined and elegant. The grey and white colour palette with a mix of pale timbers, Bertoia chairs, subway tiles and metal lighting fixtures create a contemporary and timeless space.

Papier Mache

Papier Mache was founded in May 2009 as an online magazine which has since grown rapidly to see over two hundred thousand readers worldwide. It has since expanded to include a bi annual print publication. Produced by The Convenience Store in Sydney, the magazine aims to showcase artists, photographers, designers, illustrators, inventors, creators, kids, dreamers, doers and magicians.

The magazine showcases incredible work that is inspiring and beautiful. Not only is the print gorgeous, but to see more of the creativity and magic produced by the team, follow them on instagram and read the blog. 

Mr & Mrs White

I've been sick this week, hence the lack of posts... Between hiding under a blanket on the couch and sleeping in my bed, sitting in front of the computer screen seemed the last thing on my mind. However, once I received the responses to my interview with Nathan and Sasha White of Mr & Mrs White, a Sydney based furniture and homewares store, I couldn't resist sharing it with you.

I particularly feel excited for this hardworking couple as they seem to be so similar to Jorge and I. Marrying young and studying in a similar way (apprenticeship and correspondence) it almost makes me dream to be in a position like this in a few years time...

If you want to check out there store in person the address is 3/81 Darley Street, Mona Vale, NSW.

Q. What are your design backgrounds?

A. I studied graphic design and Nathan did his apprenticeship as a shipwright. Nathan loved the timber side of boat building and disliked the fibre glass side. He moved into cabinetry and as he started making things for our house he fell in love with the design and skill of creating furniture. After studying I started to crave a creative outlet that didn't involve a computer screen - and so I started playing around with my second-hand sewing machine. I instantly loved the feeling of creating with my two hands and seeing a bunch of fabric become something functional... something beautiful.

Q. Your site story says you got married super young... How young were you and how was it being married and studying?

A. I was 21 and Nathan was 23 when we got married. In this day and age I guess its pretty young but we had met when I was 14 and had been dating since I was 17 and so it felt natural to make that next step when you know your meant to be together. The first year was definitely challenging but looking back I wouldn't of had it any other way. I was studying via correspondence so that I could work 3-4 days a week and get an income and Nathan was doing his shipwright apprenticeship. I was never the 'embrace the uni life' kind of girl - so I didn't feel like I was missing out on anything. 

Q. How did Mr & Mrs White start?

A. When we were both doing our respective hobbies - sewing and making furniture - we realised one day that we could do this together. So we started out slow - making bits and pieces...things for us and family and friends (they are good to practice on ha). I started building our branding, website and online store and all of a sudden we were 'Mr & Mrs White'. It has been a gradual process. A process of working out our style, designs and the type of business we wanted to be. It's been a fun and challenging journey.

Q. How is it working everyday with each other, as husband and wife?

A. We love it! It definitely has hard moments but mostly it is really enjoyable. Because we both have our own areas of expertise it works quite well. We are not in each others hair too much. I stay upstairs in my studio and Nathan stays downstairs in his workshop. 

Q. How do you manage keeping up with the business with a daughter?

A. It is definitely challenging but very rewarding being able to do both. I have Selah most of the week and then on Fridays and Saturdays a good friend of mine looks after her. This enables me to get work done in the studio and be there when the showroom is open. This means that during the week most of my work gets done in the night or during her short nap in the day. Sometimes I'm productive and other times I'm not at all. But it all seems to work out. It's a busy season of life that won't last forever so you just gotta roll with it I guess. Also, Nathan is such a great dad - the positive of running your business is that you set your own hours - and so if I have a lot of work on - Nathan takes Selah - and we just manage our schedule week by week depending on whats on.

Q. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

A. Thats a great question and very hard to answer. We have big dreams for the future but we are taking it day by day. You never know what doors or opportunities will open up to you. We definitely will still be making and creating and expanding the business. Along, with our business hopefully our family has grown and many more new friendships are made!

please come back sun

Due to the fact that Sydney has been raining all week... I have been devouring (not actually) pictures like these to keep me warm... Go away rain!! Come back blue skies and sunny days...

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The Print Society

Sydney based designer and printer Karen Johnston has over ten years experience in textiles and screen printing. Her studio The Print Society creates homewares that are innovative yet simplistic. Designs play around with shape, scale, and colour and are often focussed on geometrics and mark making. All designs are hand-printed in Sydney on natural fabrics such as hemp and linen, as the studio strives to have a low impact approach to manufacturing and materials.

McKean Studio

Sydney creatives Joshua & Megan McKean are the couple behind McKean Studio. I've had the honour of interviewing Megan about their work and plans for the future. I hope you get inspired by how hard-working yet so happy the couple appear...

Ps - McKean Studio is coming to Sydney's Finders Keepers Markets! Eeep :)

Q. Please share some history of both of your background careers before starting McKean Studio?

A. We started McKean Studio while we were both still studying at university. Joshua finished his degree in Industrial Design in 2011, just a few weeks before we got married. I spent another year after that completing my honours year in Visual Communications. We've worked on various projects individually and together and now McKean Studio is our side project that we tend to when we're not working our other jobs!

Q. What made you decide to start McKean Studio?

A. We were both blogging individually for a few years, working on individual projects and freelance jobs, but decided since we spent so much time working with the other it would make more sense to just combine things! 6 months before we got married we combined forces, I figured I'd be taking on the McKean name soon enough anyway, so it just felt like it made the most sense! 

Q. Whats the best part of owning your own business?

A. The flexibility to work on things when it suits us best and when inspiration strikes! Also being able to develop our own products and work on what we want to.

Q. What has been the hardest part about running your own business?

A. I think trying to get everything done in a day is the hardest part, it's a never ending list of things to do, and you're always trying to think ahead to what you'll be working on next. Being a very small label and still in it's infancy, there are lots of business related things that we've had to try and learn on our own - which is hard when you've come from design degrees! 

Q. What has been your greatest career achievement so far?

A. Every project that gets finished is a great achievement! We've been so lucky to have some wonderful opportunities arise that have led to some really fun projects. Being so early on in our careers and still building our label, it's probably too soon to say what's been our greatest achievement. We find every sale of our products very humbling and encouraging - nothing feels better than having someone like your stuff enough to buy it!

Q. Who/What inspires you?

A. Travel and nature are probably our greatest inspirations. Our souvenir scarves started as a personal project for me, to document some of our favourite cities that we've visited together. I also draw a lot of animals and flora.

Q. Describe a typical day at work...

A. Every day is different at McKean Studio! We both work jobs (that we love!) so the work for our label usually fits in around that. Some days I'll be sewing scarves for 12 hours (so glamorous!) or working on a new illustration, sending orders at the post office, writing blog posts, or making any of the other bits and pieces! My favourite days are design days, when I get to work on new pieces for McKean Studio. This usually starts with a lot of 'pinning', picking colour palettes and sketching out ideas.

Q. Where do you see yourself & McKean studio in 5 years?

A. 5 years is a long time! And so hard to forecast when you're just starting out. We'd love to work more on our label and build the production to include more products. We're hoping to move overseas for a stint in the next couple of years, so are slowly working towards that! Whatever happens, McKean Studio will be coming too and you'll hopefully be able to see some more of us over the next 5 years!